Shoe-fastener



1 M. NAYLON.

SHOE FASTENER.

315,819. Patented Apr. 14, 1885.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT @rricn.

MICHAEL NAYLON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SHOE-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,819, dated April14-, 1885.

Application filed January 21, 1885. (No model.)

T0 (0% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL NAYLON, of Cleveland, in the county ofOuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in ShoeF-asteners and I do hereby declare the following tobe afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to improvements in elastic shoeclasps, the objectbeing to provide a cheap clasp, consisting of a spiral spring, the coilsof which may be flattened,

or elliptical, so as to lie flat on the shoe, and with attachments thatcan be quickly applied without tools, and the arrangement of parts suchthat ashoe may be quickly removed without unclasping it.

In metalworking industries, more especially in rolling-mills, foundries,&c., the operators not unfrequently get hot or molten metal in theirshoes, and in such cases, as I can verify from experience, the operatoris anxious to part with his shoe as soon as possible. I have thereforedevised. a shoe-clasp suitable to such emergencies, the details of whichare illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a view in perspective of a shoe with my improved claspattached. Fig. 2 is a View in perspective of the coil-spring andattachment for securing it to the shoe. Fig. 3 is a view in perspectiveof the hook for engaging the loop of the opposite end of the spring.Fig. 4: is an end elevation showing the form of the coils of the spring.Fig. 5 is a plan view of the wire and loops before the spring is coiled.

.5. represents the spring-wire of which the coil A is made. The wire isfirst cut in suit able lengths and bent back at the ends, fornr ingtheloops a and a, and the parts twisted together, as shown in Fig. 5, bymeans of which the loops are quickly and firmly secured withoutsoldering. The wire is next coiled around a mandrel flattened orelliptical in cross-section. The form of the coil is approximately shownin Fig. 4. This form of spring lies flat on the shoe, and is thereforenot as cumbersome as when the coil is round. The attachments B and G areeach of asingle piece of wire, the ends of which are pointed, so thatthey will easily pierce the leather. The wire is bent back in the formof a staplaforining loops,respecti\- elyb and c. The loop b is bentback, forming a hook, as shown in Fig. 3, and the loop 0 is twisted aquarter-turn, as shown in Fig. 2. The ends of this attachment are nextbent at about a right angle, as shown at b and c, and are pressedthrough the shoe at proper places, and are clinched on the inside of theshoe, the loop a first being locked in the loop 0, as shown in Fig. 2.No skill or tools are required in securing these attachments. The pointscan be pressed through the leather with the fingers, and almost anythingat hand may be used to clinch the points. After the attachments aresecured the loop bis easily connected or disconnected with or from thehook, the attachments being placed at such distance apart thatconsiderable tension is had on the spring where the shoe is clasped. Thetension of the spring holds the shoe snugly around the ankle and on theinstep, but is sufficiently yielding to allow a free movement of thefoot and ankle in walking. Any desired number of these clasps may beused, according as the shoe is high or low. In case of emergency theshoe may be removed in an instant without unclasping. These clasps maybe furnished at a small initial cost, not much exceeding the ordinarycost of good shoestrings. These clasps are not especially designed forthe finer grades of shoes; but should some caprice of fashion demandtheir adoption, the clasps may be plated and made quite ornamental, andwould be likely to find favor with those who indulge in tight pants ordresses, but cannot afford the luxury of a body servant.

lVhat I claim is 1. In a shoe-fastener, the combination,with

a spiral spring flattened or elliptical in crosssection, and a devicefor securing said spring to the shoe-upper, of a hook, B, secured to theupper for removably securing the oppo site end of the spring to theshoe, substantially as set forth.

2. In a shoe-clasp, the combination with a spiral spring with loops atthe ends, as detion, in the presenceof two witnesses, this 24th scribed,of the attachments B and 0, each day of December, 1884. formed of asingle piece of wire with pointed ends, and the loops 6 and c, theformer bent 5 to form a hook and the latter twisted, as I WVitnesses:

shown, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specifica- MICHAEL NAYLON.

ALBERT E. LYNCH, CHAS. H. DORER.

